Being active is something that is important for a healthy heart, but there can be barriers to staying fit that trip us up when we try to have a healthy lifestyle. Many people find that a lack of time, energy or motivation is a barrier to getting (and staying) physically fit. The argument that a person can’t stay active because of a lack of time doesn’t really hold water. Many people spend two hours or more each day in front of their television or computer screens when they are not at work or at school. To get fit, a person only needs to spend between 30-60 minutes on some type of activity that will get their heart rate elevated several times per week. The physical activity doesn’t have to be performed in one session; it can be divided up into smaller chunks throughout the...

An electrocardiogram (EKG) is a medical test that records the electrical activity of an individual’s heart. The test takes about 10 minutes to complete and is not painful. While the reading is being taken, the patient is asked to lie still to ensure an accurate reading. An EKG is performed by a technologist. These people have undergone specialized training to learn how to administer EKG tests properly. What an EKG Measures The results of the EKG provide doctors with valuable information, including: patient’s heart rate whether there are any irregularities in the heart rhythm size of the heart When an EKG May Be Ordered A doctor may ask that a patient undergo an EKG for a number of reasons. If a patient has or is experiencing chest pain, difficulty breathing or complains of t...

Carrying extra pounds is one of the risk factors for heart disease. People who are overweight or obese are encouraged by their loved ones and their doctor to get and maintain a healthy weight to improve heart health, but does everyone who is carrying excess pounds need to do so? Not necessarily, according to the results of a study conducted by Dutch researchers. The University Medical Center in Groningen’s Dr. Andre van Beek stated that overweight people who are “metabolically healthy” are not at a higher risk for heart disease. Metabolically Healthy A metabolically healthy obese person is an individual whose medical history doesn’t include any of the following: Diabetes Heart disease High blood pressure High cholesterol or triglycerides Stroke They are in the min...

If you have been thinking that spending too much time at work could be bad for your heart health, you may be right. The results of a study conducted on British civil servants indicate that working overtime can increase the risk of cardiac issues. The results, which were published in the European Heart Journal, followed 10,000 people, found that the government workers who worked more than three hours longer than the standard seven-hour workday had a 60 percent higher risk of having a non-fatal heart attack or angina, or developing heart disease. The reason working long hours and increased risk of heart disease are related may be due to increased stress involved in spending more time on the job. A person who puts in long hours at work may be a Type A personality. This type of person is alrea...

You can now add sugar to the list of ingredients that are bad for your heart. The results of a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association indicate that people who eat a diet high in sugar and processed foods have lower levels of “good” (HDL) cholesterol and higher levels of triglycerides. The study followed a group of 6,000 people. The volunteers were divided into groups according to the amount of added sugars and sweeteners they ingested on a daily basis. The study didn’t consider natural sweeteners, such as those found in fruits and fruit juices.) Average Level of Sugar Consumption On average, the study participants ate the equivalent of 21 teaspoons of sugar each day. The group with the highest level of sugar consumption averaged 46 teaspoons of...

If you are a lady who likes her carbs, you may want to think about how much white bread, pizza and rice you are eating. Foods with a high sugar content can also increase your risk of heart disease, according to the results of a new study. The good news is that eating pasta doesn’t appear to increase the risk of developing heart disease. The research was published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, and scientists have concluded that eating foods with a high glycemic index, such as white bread, cause a woman’s blood sugar to rise rapidly. The spike in blood sugar levels can damage the heart. Men process carbohydrates in a different way, and don’t have the same health risks when they consume foods with a high glycemic index. What should you be eating for good heart health...

Part of the fun of attending a Super Bowl party, other than watching the game and hanging out with friends, is enjoying the food. This event can turn into a non-stop snackfest, and unfortunately it’s very easy to go into automatic mode at one of these events and lose track of how much you’re eating. Fun foods can be part of a heart-healthy diet, and you don’t have to feel deprived on Super Bowl Sunday. If you are hosting the party, plan to offer a variety of foods to your guests during the event, including ones that are high in fiber and low in fat. Fresh vegetables combined with a dip made from low-fat ingredients are popular. Choose low-fat Ranch dip, salsa or hummus. Black bean dip is a good choice if you want to have a few chips or nachos. Guacamole is a popular Super...

Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) is a condition where the heart isn’t pumping strongly enough to keep the body’s cells well supplied with oxygen-rich blood. As a result, the lungs and tissues in the body become congested (they fill up with fluid). People over the age of 40 are at risk for developing CHF. More than five million Americans have this condition and the general population has a 1 in 5 chance of developing it during their lifetime. Approximately 400,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. Risk Factors for Congestive Heart Failure You may be at risk for developing congestive heart failure if any of the following criteria fit your personal situation: Coronary artery diseas Heart valve disease High blood pressure Irregular heartbeat Previous heart attack People with conge...

When it comes to heart-healthy diets, there are lots of ways that you can make better choices that will improve your health. One thing you can do is consume less saturated and trans fats in your diet. Taking this step will lower your cholesterol levels, as well as your risk of developing heart disease. If you want to lower your fat intake, focus on solid fats first. You can reduce the amount of butter, margarine or shortening that you are using to cook with. Cut back instead of trying to give up with way of preparing food entirely. The idea is to make changes that you can adopt as permanent lifestyle changes, not do something for a short time only. Be creative and substitute other foods for butter and margarine; for example use a cooking spray to avoid adding extra fat and calories to your...

Most of us associate losing weight with going on a diet. We think that if we cut back on calories or limit ourselves to only a few “magic” foods we will shed unwanted pounds quickly and reach our ideal weight. The truth is that diets don’t work. If you want to achieve a healthy weight, you need to be prepared to make long-term changes to what and how much you eat…and stick to them. You didn’t put on the weight overnight, and it’s not realistic to think that it is going to come off that quickly. Start by making some small changes, like substituting a baked potato for French fries at lunch or dinner. Plan to eat a salad with your lunch or dinner every day. Permanent changes that you can stick with are key to achieving a healthy weight. ...